The classic Warhammer 40K board game gets a shiny new adaptation later this year.

The success of XCOM has proved that there's a mainstream future for turn-based strategy games. Even the upcoming RPG Shadowrun is comparing itself to the critical darling. With that foundation in place, now is the perfect time for a new Space Hulk adaptation. That's the thinking behind developers Full Control, who are bringing the classic Warhammer 40k board game to both PC and mobile platforms later this year.

The original board game takes place in the Warhammer 40k universe, where there is only turn-based strategy. Players command a squad of space marines as they crawl though the dangerous confines of massive, derelict space craft to retrieve ancient technology, all the while being hunted by the dreaded Genestealers.

While previous video game adaptations have used the claustrophobic confines as a setting for shooters, Full Control is adamant about maintaining the same tactical feel of the original. "What we're overall aiming for is to take the board game experience and make a digital game out of it," said Thomas Hentschel Lund, head of Full Control. But to make that adaptation as true as possible, they're making a few changes. "If you have in your head the boardgame as you play that, and XCOM, and mix those two together. That's the game experience you can expect from Space Hulk."

Full Control plans to release Space Hulk on PC, iOS, and Android, with most of the focus on the PC version. Rock Paper Shotgun has a rather extensive interview with Lund, where he discusses plans for cross platform multiplayer, coop modes, and even nerds out about the intricacies of translating the rules. Full Control hopes have players raiding wrecks between summer and Christmas of this year.

Nice! Always wanted to the play the board game, but haven't gotten a chance too yet. Hopefully, this will give me a chance to experience it without having to drop a ton of money on the board version. ;P

I have a not very mint at all copy of Space Crusade in my shed somewhere I had a lot of fun with. I also had a lot of fun with the PC game, I hope multi-player at least has the Imperial Fist, from memory they had the best gear cards.

IanDavis:The success of XCOM has proved that there's a mainstream future for turn-based strategy games.

So am I the only person who thought it was a mediocre game at best? And I'm not even saying that from the perspective of a fan of the originals, because I've never played them.

No, there were plenty of people who felt that way, from grizzled XCOM veterans to green rookies. I wasn't one of those people though, love me some tactical RPG action. If the critical and commercial success of the new XCOM means a bigger slice of tactical RPG goodness, then good. Because that's what I wanted.

It looks like it's about Blood Ravens, but Full Control =/= Relic, right? Aren't the Blood Ravens sort of Relic's pet chapter?Eh, anyway, I'm intrigued. I'll hold my evaluation until I at least see some ingame graphics, but this does sound interesting. The article makes it sound like it'll be turn-based, which is a good idea. I'd love to - basically - see a new Chaos Gate with squads but individual unit management.

EDIT: Why are people saying it'll be Blood Angels? Look at the pauldron, the colour's all wrong for Blood Angels.

Skeleon:EDIT: Why are people saying it'll be Blood Angels? Look at the pauldron, the colour's all wrong for Blood Angels.

You did notice the red drop on that pauldron (And knee and left shoulder) right? That's Blood angels Heraldry Different colours than the rest of the army is quite normal for Terminators (Just see the Deathwing)and Blood angel terminators have been seen with a single white pauldron before

EDIT: Ninja'd

you're the underdog. You're going to lose this game three out of four times, just as in the boardgame.

I wonder if they'll be basing the game more on the 3rd edition rules or the 1st edition. Based on the bit about the flamer rules in the interview, they're not going with 2nd edition, which is good. I guess the main difference between 1st and 3rd would be that in 3rd ed, overwatch is much more powerful.

Huh, interesting. I thought that "pergament-colour" was specific to the Blood Ravens. But then most of my WH40K knowledge comes from Relic's games (and Chaos Gate) plus some audiobooks (and those are obviously lacking in the exact colouring detail).

Blood Ravens also use the red teardrop emblem, plus the bleached bone pauldrons. I was just making a joke that the Blood Ravens had been "gifted" some of the Angels' power armor and hastily painted their own colors on top.

I'm really disappointed. I was hoping for something more akin to Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels than a carbon copy of the boardgame. I'll still buy it of course, but yeah... not the greatest news.